


Always Have Paris

by AJHall



Category: Marlows - Antonia Forest
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-25
Updated: 2011-04-25
Packaged: 2017-10-18 16:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/190606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJHall/pseuds/AJHall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Madame Orly, in Paris during the War, hears some unexpected news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Have Paris

**Author's Note:**

> During the 2006 Antonia Forest conference in Bournemouth a presenter - whose name, unfortunately, I forget - indicated that Ms Forest had confirmed her belief that the Marlows' grandmother, Mme Orly, had married a collaborateur, accounting both for her residence in Paris throughout WWII and her somewhat tense relationship with her younger daughter. This fic comes out of that.

"Madame Orly!"

Schauffenberg, thank heaven, was halfway to being a gentleman, unlike most of them. She turned, and he bowed.

"May I present you to our newest hero, fresh from the field of battle? Our Fuhrer shook his hand, not twenty-four hours ago."

She was experienced, now, in counterfeiting interest in such matters. "Gustaf, you intrigue me."

Schauffenberg bowed, yielding the field to the young airforce officer by his side. He was shy, almost provincial, rapping out his account as if making a despatch in Morse.

"Ma'am! By skill and good fortune my squadron encountered the British cruiser _Caithness_ , on passage to Malta. Under my direction, we bombed the vessel, and shortly sank it. Heil Hitler."

He ducked his head in a curt, sharp nod. There was a murmur of applause from those within earshot in the crowded salon. Unthinkingly - when had she last dared to think? - Madame Orly started to join in.

And then the ship's name sank in. Her long fingers caught at the edge of the Louise Quartorze table behind her.

 _I didn't mean it_ her mind screamed helplessly to the shade of a laughing, dashing Lieutenant as he defied her across a ballroom in the face of all the County. _I did not desire your death. Believe me! I never wanted this end._

But all she could see were her daughter's hard dark eyes, watching her across a the impassable gulf which had opened between them, deep with the roar of the sundering sea.


End file.
